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Software Development’s Defect Cost Increase Curve

The Defect Cost Increase Curve applies whether the project is highly sequential (doing 100 percent of requirements and design up front) or highly iterative (doing only a small percentage of requirements and design at a time). By focusing on correcting defects earlier rather than later in the development of each feature, you can cut development costs and schedules by factors of two or more. Schedules become more predictable, too.